The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-12-03

better Them boys thar, and he
jerked his thumb over his shoulder,
would do any graveyard proud,
and we ought to start 'em off in
style. It's a rotten shame if we
don't give 'em the best send-off the
markets got, and curse the expense
1--WE cheered this sentiment in
spite of the occasion, and he con-
tinued: What we want to do is to
send for coffins. Any man that's
in favor Of the sentiment can just
walk up here and plank down his
dust
"No one could refuse this appeal,
and the needed sum of money was
soon raised. An order was written
to the Sampsonville undertaken and
given to the driver of the down
stage, with the verbal message:
"'If they amt here tomorrow
night committe OF the boys'll be
down thar ter find out why, an
they'll need their coffins ter hum
"About sunset next evening a
wagon turned off the main road
and came into camp. 1t brought
the coffins. They were unloaded,
one after the other, and shown with
all the splendor that fresh varnish
could give them.
"'Thar's style for ye, said Hawk
ins, with pardonable pride. How
the boys would enjoy 'em if they
were here. BY the Lord Harry !
he shouted suddenly, there's six
here! Who ordered six?'
"Jim Davis was the man that
wrote the letter. He turned deathly
pale, and said: by George, there's
bad luck coming. There's sixth
man in this crowd. l ordered five
coffins, an that extra one hasn't
come for nothing
There was sudden silence, and
most of the crowd turned as pale
as Jim. 1t looked mighty plausi.
BILE that that there coffin WIS look
ing for some one, and each one felt
an uncomfortable suspicion that he
was the one. The only one that
was bold enough to resent the idea
was
FIvE-rINGERED JACK,
Who had been born with five fing-
ers on his left hand, and evened mat
ters mp by shooting off his thumb
"'Yau're a good one, Jim, he
said, you're the scholar of the
crowd, but you can't write straight
yet
"'See herc,' said Jim, getting
riled, Il ein't no scholar, but don,
knuckle down to no man when il
comes to orderin' cofiins. / KEEP
copy of the letter, so't the under
taker don't cut any shines with us.
He pulled out the letter. and III
had written five as plain as life.
"'That coffin has come for On'
of U.S. he continued, AN it means
business. 1t stands to reason tina
! when a coffin travels twenty-five
miles it's goin' to get its man.
I'VE gathered round. looking
. about as solemn az we felt, ant
some of the boys kept looking owe
their shoulders suspicious-like Il
the cabin where the dead men lay
as though they were afraid the nigh
might encourage 'em to come on
and pick their company for tn
; next days journey.
"Si Hawkins tried to pump tn
4 fellow that drove the team up t
camp, but he didn't know anythin
about it. The coffins had bee
loaded in by the undertaken, an
he brought them up as they wer
J. given him. 81 Hawkins told Us t
u como into Dutch Dawes, and tn
9 bows began to get their courage ou
Z. of bottle, in the usual way. A
$ they got livened up they began
L Joke about their fears and recon
mend candidates for the vacar
I honor.
. "'Mebbe it's after the fellow whs
. stole Simpsons horse, said Fiv'
T fingered Jack, in q sort of bal
:. - tering tone. EFF he's ketched he
! need it mighty bad
+ "The crowd laughed-all but jim
He took it seriously and tried
argue the matter. He won't g
d no coffin,' he said. He'll be luck
~ ~ to get buried at all. Ye can laue
a all We want ter, but there's goi
4 ter be six funerals tomorrow i
e. std of five.' ,...
- ".The-e's a dead cayote a lit
ID ways up the gulch. Mebbe ye
4 like ter plant him along with Il
~ bows continued Jack knocking hil
IF aJim began to get his back u
ot Thar! Hear that" he said. ltw
lv only the hoot of a mountain on
W " but it's enough to give q man Il
vs cold shivers IL he's little off colo
=, Hear that? Ef that doesn't me'
y bad luck, I'm Dutchman.'
4 "Some of the boys began to lot
re- nervous again.
~ 10 "Shet up, can't ye?" said Ja'
ID contemptuously. 'Ye're worse n
IT, +. q hoot owl yourself. A scared to
20 like YOU is q regular Jonah in cam
70 70 .Ye'd break it up in q week ct